Automatic baler



Jan. 10, 1956 w. a. MITCHELL 0,

AUTOMATIC BALER Filed Nov. 15 1954 8 Fig.2

William B. Mi/che/l IN V EN TOR.

BY W3 Atmmqys United States Patent AUTOMATIC BALER William B. Mitchell, Texas City, Tex.

Application November 15, 1954, Serial No. 468,830

1 Claim. (Cl. 114-185) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for removing water from boats and more particularly to the provision of a drain pipe in the stern of the boat through which water is automatically drained when the boat is in motion.

An important object of the invention is to provide a valve for the drain to which a lever is attached for opening the valve and which is closed by spring means to prevent the valve from accidentally remaining open.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic baler of this character which may be easily and quickly installed in a boat and which at the same time embodies a simple and practical construction, and also which is eflicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the stern of a boat showing the automatic baler installed therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the baler; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a drain pipe generally and which is composed of a sleeve 6 positioned in an opening 7 of the stem 8 of a boat adjacent the bottom thereof. The rear end of the sleeve 6 is formed with a flange 9 abutting the outer surface of the stern and a nut 10 is threaded on the inner end of the sleeve and tightened against the inner surface of the stern. The flange 9 at the rear end of the sleeve is formed with a valve seat 11.

The sleeve 6 is internally threaded to receive the rear end of a nipple 12 for threaded connection in the sleeve and a bushing 13 is retained in the inner end of the nipple by a retaining nut 14 threaded thereon. An elongated opening or slot 15 is formed in the lower portion of nipple 12 immediately behind the bushing 13.

2,730,062 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 A valve stem 16 is slidable in the bushing 13 and to the rear end of which a conical valve 17 is secured by a nut 18 for engaging the valve seat 11. The front or inner end of the valve stem 16 is slidable in an opening 19 in the nut 14 and an upwardly inclined link 20 is threadedly connected or otherwise suitably secured to the inner or front end of the valve stem.

The link 20 is pivoted to the lower portion of a vertical lever 21 by means of a transverse pin 22 and the lower end of the lever is pivoted to a bell-crank lever 23 and which, in turn, is pivoted to a bracket 24, secured to the bottom of the nut 14 by a screw or the like 26.

A coil spring 27 is mounted on the valve stem 16 between links 20 and nuts 14 and is tensionally held or compressed between front and rear washers 28 and 29 to slide the valve stem 16 forwardly for closing valve 17.

in the operation of the device, when it is desired to drain or bale water from the boat, the lever 21 is pushed rearwardly to open valve 17 and the forward motion of the boat will cause the water therein to enter the opening 15 and to pass outwardly at the stern of the boat through the drain 5. Upon releasing the lever 21 the spring 27 will close the valve.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An automatic baler for boats comprising a drain at the stern and projecting forwardly into the boat adjacent the bottom thereof, a valve closing the outer end of the drain, a valve stem extending forwardly from the valve and slidable in the drain, a lever attached to the front end of the valve stem for opening the valve, and spring means closing the valve, said drain includes a sleeve sealed in the stern of the boat and having a valve seat at its rear end for the valve, a nipple threaded internally of the sleeve and projecting forwardly into the boat, a guide for the valve stem in the front portion of the nipple, said nipple having an opening in its lower portion behind said guide to admit water from the boat thereto, a bracket attached to a stationary member, a lever pivoted. to the bracket, means connecting the front end of the valve stem to the lever for opening the valve, and spring means tensionally mounted on the front end of the valve stem between the nipple and the lever to close the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 912,604 Olsson Feb. 16, 1909 1,897,524- McEachern Feb. 14, 1933 2,655,121 Cuneo Oct. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,924 Denmark Nov. 16, 1916 

